Lexus LF-CC hybrid

The Toyota-owned luxury brand is considering adding two coupes to its model line-up, Drive was told at the 2013 Detroit motor show.

The first, a model based off the all-new IS presaged by the LF-CC concept and considered a likely replacement for the current IS CC hardtop convertible, is expected to make it to production within two or three years.

Kazuo Ohara, executive vice president of Lexus International, says sports cars - including a rival to the upcoming BMW 4-Series and the current Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe - is a space he would like to see the brand have more presence.

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"I'm not really in a position to be disclosing anything specific for the future products, but for example - a coupe-type, such as [the LF-CC], something like that is something we would like to look at," Ohara says.

He told Drive that reinvigorating the Toyota-owned brand is one of his key goals.

"Ever since we stopped [selling the SC sports convertible], we have some kind of void of emotionally loaded vehicles ... in our line-up.

"We would like to inherit the spirit [of the LFA] and cherish that spirit," he says. "Some elements that we lacked at Lexus in the past is emotional elements," Ohara says. "We would like to inject more emotional elements to our cars."

"We have more room to expand our product line-up and create [more emotional] cars," Ohara says. "I believe we will have a chance to produce such new cars."

The second model would be a flagship sports two-door, as indicated by the LF-LC concept model.

"We didn't really think about moving into commercial production soon, but we received such strong response from those people who saw this car.

"Therefore ... I am now discussing very seriously for the possible commercialisation sometime in the future. Sorry, I cannot tell you [how soon]," he says, but adds: "We are seriously considering [building a car like this]."

Ohara says the company is not yet at the stage of building a prototype of the range-topping two-door sports model.

"In order for us to be able to create a prototype, we have to verify the feasibility of the development and commercialisation of that particular car. So we have to look at technology - whether or not the technology can be actually implementable ... how we should go about the body engineering, so those things have to be looked at to verify that it is actually viable. We are at that stage."

Ohara says the production car needs to be able to have the jaw-dropping style of the LF-LC.

"Whether or not with the technology that we have in hand, if we can achieve this beautiful style in the actual commercial product. So that's something that we're still looking at."

The top-end coupe would be an all-new car, possibly built from a newly developed set of underpinnings. That means it would take around four years to make it to production, and would be extremely costly to establish.

"We probably have to do something new," Ohara says of the platform of the potential new model. "It's our job to be able to make it affordable, even if it's expensive. I cannot disclose anything more at this moment."

For other products, Ohara-san drew the line at offering a copy-cat style four-door "coupe", a body-style that has seen a lot of success for rivals such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

"We are not thinking about a [four-door coupe] now," he says.

The brand has also ruled out a wagon version of the new IS for the time being.

"We're not thinking about it now, not just now," Ohara says. "The main market for wagon [body-style] is the European market. But because of currency issues, Euro issues, I don't think it is still viable as a business with the current exchange rate.

"The type of wagon [we would try] to introduce to the European market [would be a] hybrid wagon, then it is a case that it would be even more difficult," he says, making mention of the dominance of diesel power-trains in Europe, something Lexus steadfastly refuses to offer as part of its line-up.

Lexus launched its new IS sedan at the Detroit motor show this week. It arrives locally later in 2013.

11 comments so far

Great idea Lexus and great for branding and appealing to a new market, however lets just clean up the front end of the IS first.

Commenter

BANK CASINO

Location

Sydney

Date and time

January 17, 2013, 8:10AM

I didn't know that the Toyota Avalon was available in a 2 door or maybe it is soon to be released. The grill is a Chrysler / Bentley but looks okay nonetheless.

Commenter

BBJ

Location

Dinner Plain

Date and time

January 17, 2013, 9:35AM

...then, learn how to build a performance engine that doesn't require a turbo.

Commenter

selector 2

Location

Date and time

January 17, 2013, 9:48AM

What are you on about, BBJ? Toyota Avalon, Bentley grille??! What the....

Commenter

lolwat

Location

Date and time

January 17, 2013, 11:13AM

"...then, learn how to build a performance engine that doesn't require a turbo"- Selector 2

Selector 2, are you serious with that comment!??!...this is a story about a Lexus not BMW, Mercedes or Audi who have turbo charged just about everything in their respective line-ups.

The irony is, Lexus have NO turbo petrol models in their current line up!! they do have a 4.6l n/a V8 with 280 kW/4.6l V8 Hybrid with 327 kW in the LS, 5.0l n/a V8 with 311 kW in the IS-F..a 230kW DI n/a V6 in various IS, GS and RX models and of course a 4.8 l V10 n/a in the LF-A with 412 kW

Did you mean to say they should TRY turbocharging? If so, yes I agree, the 3.5 V6 direct injection with twin turbo and 350 kW would be a nice addition.

Commenter

Seats and a steering wheel

Location

Date and time

January 18, 2013, 6:48AM

Note: The current IS has been available in Europe as a diesel (the IS220d).

Commenter

DJCJ

Location

Melbourne

Date and time

January 17, 2013, 8:27AM

I'd have to see the front end on a real car to make a judgement but I'd be highly dubious if it will look quite so outrageous in the plastic - this could be similar to the Subaru Tribeca which had a front end redesign soon after launch.

Commenter

Mikka

Location

Date and time

January 17, 2013, 9:20AM

yes clean up the front end and back end of this car then produce something, its a disgrace to the automotive industry

Commenter

James

Location

Sydney

Date and time

January 17, 2013, 9:32AM

I love the Avalon and I'm sure I will like this too. It will come down to the markup on price for what the base model Toyota of this calibre will be. Should be interesting.

Commenter

BBJ

Location

Dinner Plain

Date and time

January 17, 2013, 9:33AM

Good on them. Recognising that with the loss of the LFA, there's still a market for two door sports cars - as demonstrated by Subaru and Nissan.

I quite like the styling; the front end is clearly unusual, though I feel it will really grow on the market as likeable. Long has visual styling been leaning towards the "large open mouthed" front end, and this is an 'interesting' variant upon it.

Hopefully, even with a prototype, all that ventilation and intake is put to good use!